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Vintage Amateur and Military Radio Amateur/military receivers and transmitters, morse, and any other related vintage comms equipment. |
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11th Jan 2022, 3:39 pm | #61 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Monterey, California USA
Posts: 51
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Re: Non directional beacons what do they sound like, if they still exist.
Here on the west coast of the USA I have several friends who are quite dedicated NDB DX'ers, they have portable equipment made out of retired aircraft ADF beacon receivers, mounted on tripods and powered by internal rechargeable batteries. Such gear as Motorola, Bendix, King or Collins. They usually travel to quiet and desolate seacoast locations such as empty parking lots on cliffs above the sea, at some ghastly hour such as 4 a.m., and will log many NDB's even a thousand or more miles away before being questioned by suspicious police. One friend just logged the NDB on the Island of Palau in the South Pacific during such an expedition.
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11th Jan 2022, 11:20 pm | #62 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Blackburn with Darwen, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 1,567
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Re: Non directional beacons what do they sound like, if they still exist.
I have the mini-whip, but admit I still have to package the pcb and then install it, just getting over a cold so will get around to it when I can and hope it helps me.
Geoff it is interesting to hear what others are getting up to, my little receivers and even my FT with the VLF converter can only pick up 5 NDB's from home so perhaps I will take a drive to Blackpool sea front tomorrow and have a listen! Adrian |
12th Jan 2022, 10:18 am | #63 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Blackburn with Darwen, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 1,567
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Re: Non directional beacons what do they sound like, if they still exist.
Weird thing last night, having a listen with the Lo-Kator after most things electrical had been shut down and I briefly picked up a new signal, took a while to hear it but I got WTD, before the normal signal I hear of WHI took over.
WTD is listed as Waterford in Ireland on 368 KHz and WHI Whitegate for Hawarden on 368.5 KHz. So for a brief time 353 Km compared to 70 kM both roughly in the same direction from me. Not great dx I know, but the best for this site within the house. I wonder if I can hide an antenna for the 600m band. Adrian |
12th Jan 2022, 12:13 pm | #64 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Southeast Norfolk, UK.
Posts: 772
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Re: Non directional beacons what do they sound like, if they still exist.
I've found the Kiwi SDR here to be very good for NDBs:-
http://malinheadkiwi.hopto.org:8073/ Polish and German beacons audible this morning at dawn were SA and FTZ. Making some progress towards getting my ex-Navy TGY2 transmitter going, should be able to get about 50 watts on 630m. Cheers Roger |
12th Jan 2022, 12:28 pm | #65 |
Heptode
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Scratby, Norfolk, UK.
Posts: 648
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Re: Non directional beacons what do they sound like, if they still exist.
Hi Roger,
That TGY2 should provide a nice chunky signal here in Scratby! I wonder if you have the complete outfit with the CR300. Kind regards Dave G0ELJ |
12th Jan 2022, 12:36 pm | #66 |
Heptode
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Scratby, Norfolk, UK.
Posts: 648
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Re: Non directional beacons what do they sound like, if they still exist.
Hi Adrian,
Coincidence that you have just received WHI, I received it three days ago for the first time since living here. Night time QSB can be very slow on MF, so its surprising how many different NDBs can appear on the same frequency in a few minutes. Kind regards Dave G0ELJ |
12th Jan 2022, 1:49 pm | #67 |
Pentode
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Swansea, Wales, UK.
Posts: 143
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Re: Non directional beacons what do they sound like, if they still exist.
Dave and HMV, The marine radio beacons with DGPS are the only ones I know about. There used to be many more, some operating once a minute on a 6-minute cycle. In my days at deep-sea I made good use of them getting good DF bearings. In later life my business made MF DGPS receivers and modulators for the lighthouse transmitters. I suppose Trinity House will turn off the transmitters, not just the modulation, and save some money.
73, Andrew |
12th Jan 2022, 4:59 pm | #68 | |
Heptode
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Southeast Norfolk, UK.
Posts: 772
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Re: Non directional beacons what do they sound like, if they still exist.
Quote:
Don't think my shack would take the height of the TGY2 on it's rack stand! I have a CR300, picked up in Norwich last week, and I have a homebrew PSU for the TX, more important is that I have the manual as they're rare beasts. Hope I can get going over the next few weeks but a bit chilly out there at the moment. 73 for '22 Roger/G3VKM |
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17th Jan 2022, 3:41 pm | #69 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Blackburn with Darwen, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 1,567
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Re: Non directional beacons what do they sound like, if they still exist.
Today arrived the last of the LW units I plan to acquire a Seafarer Seabeam direction finder. I says it is synthesized but seems to be off frequency, especially when picking up Radio 4 on 198KHz, but it would be interesting to compare the three units I have before I start to strip them down.
I think out of them I like the Lo-Kator the best seems to be the most sensitive and easy to use. Not managed to pick up any more stations here, I had to go to Blackpool before I could pick up the aerodrome on 318 KHz. I have some local interference on that frequency at home and even at Blackpool where I parked up was not much better, then again I had parked up near Stargate Tram depot and suspect that the local noise there was down to the over head power cables and substation from the site, that or the Blackpool illuminations? Adrian |
17th Jan 2022, 5:33 pm | #70 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 13,953
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Re: Non directional beacons what do they sound like, if they still exist.
Could it perhaps date from the days when Radio 4 was on 200KHz, so its LW channel-steps are now inappropriate?
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I'm the Operator of my Pocket Calculator. -Kraftwerk. |
17th Jan 2022, 5:50 pm | #71 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Blackburn with Darwen, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 1,567
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Re: Non directional beacons what do they sound like, if they still exist.
Hi
It can tune to 100Hz frequency is entered by thumb-wheel type switches. It may just be IF that is off it is hard to tell as I get a better signal from radio 4 at 190KHz. Adrian |
22nd Jan 2022, 9:52 pm | #72 |
Hexode
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Helston, Cornwall, UK.
Posts: 301
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Re: Non directional beacons what do they sound like, if they still exist.
Had a quick listen for half an hour this evening, quite a few beacons around, here’s a few:
OHT. 379kHz. Arlanda LN 404kHz Lannion LOR 359 Lorient RY. 397 Royan BRK 408 Vienna FOY. 395. Foynes CML 434. Clonmel CVT 417. Madrid GE 421. Madrid BST. 428 Languedoc 1M active loop Airspay +, loc Helston, Cornwall , IO70ic 73, Tim M0AFJ |
23rd Jan 2022, 12:17 am | #73 |
Heptode
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Scratby, Norfolk, UK.
Posts: 648
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Re: Non directional beacons what do they sound like, if they still exist.
Hi Tim,
There's a few there that I haven't logged here yet, I think I'll have a go myself tonight, wish me luck! Kind regards Dave |
23rd Jan 2022, 3:28 pm | #74 |
Heptode
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Scratby, Norfolk, UK.
Posts: 648
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Re: Non directional beacons what do they sound like, if they still exist.
Hi Tim,
Well, many thanks for the heads up for the good conditions on MF last night. Spent a couple of hours around midnight checking the NDB's, resulting in 6 new ones for this season including 4 I've never heard before here in Scratby. Total heard so far this year is 156, and total uniques for the previous 4 seasons is 292. Best DX this season is DF in Georgia, with OZN as a runner up, but no Canadians so far. I'm starting to wonder if they have been shut down! Best 73 Dave G0ELJ |
23rd Jan 2022, 10:10 pm | #75 |
Hexode
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Helston, Cornwall, UK.
Posts: 301
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Re: Non directional beacons what do they sound like, if they still exist.
Well done!, still loads to go
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23rd Feb 2022, 10:29 pm | #76 |
Hexode
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Helston, Cornwall, UK.
Posts: 301
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Re: Non directional beacons what do they sound like, if they still exist.
Good conditions this evening, 10 new ones including:
PLA 351.5 Pula, Croatia PST 338 Porto Santo, Madeira Lots of French beacons and a few Spanish |